1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technology of controlling operations of an image forming apparatus (image processing apparatus) that includes a scanner unit that acquires image data by scanning an original.
2. Description of the Related Art
Presently, with the expansion in applications of multifunction products (MFPs), which are image forming apparatuses capable of performing various functions such as copying, printing, and facsimileing, there is an extensive demand for both sophisticated high-speed configurations and basic low-cost configurations.
Generally, manufacturing a low-cost MFP at low developing cost and enhancing the processing speed thereof are conditions of contradictory nature and it is difficult to fulfill both the conditions at the same time.
In recent years, there is a demand for a series of different configurations, from small-scale configurations to large-scale configurations, of the same model of an MFP. However, as an MFP performs scanner processing, image processing, and output processing as necessary functions, adhering to sophisticated specifications results in increasing the manufacturing cost of low-cost configurations.
On the other hand, if the sophisticated configurations and the basic configurations are manufactured in an independent manner for cost optimization, then it becomes difficult to provide the sought-after extensibility in present-day MFPs.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2006-325260 discloses a technique for manufacturing a high-speed MFP at low cost. In that technique, an image processing unit for scanning and storing purpose is added on to an image processing unit for plotting purpose and the image data read from an original is temporarily stored by using the storing operation.
With the use of such a conventional technique, a printer can be extended to function as an MFP. However, since the technique corresponds to a sophisticated configuration that allows storing of image data, it cannot be implemented as it is to a basic low-cost configuration that does not have a storing function. The reason for that lays in the fact it is not sufficient to just remove the mechanism of controlling the storing operation for a basic configuration not having the storing function. For example, if a color determining operation in which an image in RGB color space is stored on a temporary basis before being converted in monochromatic data is to be implemented when the storing function is not available, then it is necessary to substantially alter the image processing sequence thereby making it difficult to standardize other functions.